At the core of what we do is synthesizing complex data sets, which means we rely on high-quality data to drive our business. OAG is an industry leader in all things airline-data related and their historical, real-time, schedule, and connection time data are key inputs to our algorithms.

We released the Lumo map last year, but it's worth re-upping given all the delays we've been having globally. From winter delays in Chicago to disruptions caused by volcano Taal in the Phillippines to delays caused by the fires in Australia, it's hard to keep up with all global events that could delay your flight. Luckily, you've got Lumo – a quick look at the Lumo map tells you the state of delays right now, as well as delays expected over the next 48 hours. Just click on the map icon on the top right of the page and view the Lumo Index by airport to help you plan your trip better. We keep track of everything from weather disruptions to airline waivers to Air Traffic Control restrictions to keep you updated on what to expect.

The negative impacts of flight delays and disruptions are well documented. Globally, flight delays are estimated to cost over 60 billion USD, and in the U.S. two out of every three flight delays are caused by somewhat predictable events, such as weather, air traffic control restrictions, or another forecastable cause. Most critical for travel agencies and travel management companies (TMCs) is the personal impact on the traveler: over half of all business travelers list delays and cancellations as the most frustrating part of travel.

While we can't give away all the details of our secret sauce, here's an outline of the basic ingredients. Our predictions are based on a combination of machine learning models that analyze vast amounts of historical and forecast data, and a super-fast simulation that is able to simulate the impact of projected constraints on all flights in the world rapidly (in a few minutes).